Ross returns as East Duplin athletic director

East Duplin boys' basketball coach Robert Ross is again the school's athletic director.

Chris Miller/The Daily News

By Chris Miller-Chris.Miller@JDNews.com

Published: Friday, July 11, 2014 at 07:00 AM.

Robert Ross is back leading the athletic department at East Duplin High School.

Ross has become the school’s athletic director for the second time, this time replacing Tim Jenkins, who recently became an assistant principal at Wallace-Rose Hill.

Ross served as AD for three years before stepping down at the end of the 2012-13 school year but feels more comfortable in the position this time around.

“When I took it I didn’t do a very good job of handing things to different people. I didn’t delegate well and a lot of things I took on myself,” Ross said. “I burned myself out for three years, but sitting back this year I learned a lot.”

One thing in particular Ross said he learned was that he didn’t need to be at East Duplin all of the time and that certain duties such as gate responsibilities could be given to assistant ADs and other coaches.

“I came to East Duplin when Jerry Hunter was here … and he was here 24-7 and never left,” Ross said. “I had to realize I was not Jerry Hunter and that I needed to be Robert Ross. I had to realize that we have a good staff here, we really do, and that I could do a better job of delegating some responsibilities. I needed to realize that I could go home a lot earlier and spend time with my family, which I’ve enjoyed. That was the big thing, spending time with my family.”

The 33-year-old Ross is married and a father of children ages 2 and 1. He will remain head varsity boys basketball coach and defensive backs coach for the varsity football team.

Ross feels at ease again being athletic director as he also enters his seventh year as a teacher and coach at the Beulaville school.

“It’s a different feeling from the first time,” he said. “I’m not going in blind. I know what I’m going into and I’m more excited this time than I was the last time.”

And while Ross is familiar with some of the challenges his job entails such as the athletic department’s budget, he feels sports at East Duplin are “on a rise.”

The Panthers’ volleyball team highlighted the sports department’s success last school year by going 22-1 overall and advancing to the NCHSAA 2-A East Regional semifinals. The boys’ soccer team last fall captured its second East Central Conference title in program history.

The girls’ tennis team and softball teams have also typically been among the area’s best.

“I feel like we have some solid athletes coming through and that the new conference (following last year’s statewide realignment) has helped some of our minor sports,” Ross said. “Our golf and cross country teams have done better, and we want to continue seeing those sports go up and also get football and basketball back (at a high level). I feel like in the next couple of years we will be ready to make a statement and that’s the exciting part.”

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Robert Ross is back leading the athletic department at East Duplin High School.

Ross has become the school’s athletic director for the second time, this time replacing Tim Jenkins, who recently became an assistant principal at Wallace-Rose Hill.

Ross served as AD for three years before stepping down at the end of the 2012-13 school year but feels more comfortable in the position this time around.

“When I took it I didn’t do a very good job of handing things to different people. I didn’t delegate well and a lot of things I took on myself,” Ross said. “I burned myself out for three years, but sitting back this year I learned a lot.”

One thing in particular Ross said he learned was that he didn’t need to be at East Duplin all of the time and that certain duties such as gate responsibilities could be given to assistant ADs and other coaches.

“I came to East Duplin when Jerry Hunter was here … and he was here 24-7 and never left,” Ross said. “I had to realize I was not Jerry Hunter and that I needed to be Robert Ross. I had to realize that we have a good staff here, we really do, and that I could do a better job of delegating some responsibilities. I needed to realize that I could go home a lot earlier and spend time with my family, which I’ve enjoyed. That was the big thing, spending time with my family.”

The 33-year-old Ross is married and a father of children ages 2 and 1. He will remain head varsity boys basketball coach and defensive backs coach for the varsity football team.

Ross feels at ease again being athletic director as he also enters his seventh year as a teacher and coach at the Beulaville school.

“It’s a different feeling from the first time,” he said. “I’m not going in blind. I know what I’m going into and I’m more excited this time than I was the last time.”

And while Ross is familiar with some of the challenges his job entails such as the athletic department’s budget, he feels sports at East Duplin are “on a rise.”

The Panthers’ volleyball team highlighted the sports department’s success last school year by going 22-1 overall and advancing to the NCHSAA 2-A East Regional semifinals. The boys’ soccer team last fall captured its second East Central Conference title in program history.

The girls’ tennis team and softball teams have also typically been among the area’s best.

“I feel like we have some solid athletes coming through and that the new conference (following last year’s statewide realignment) has helped some of our minor sports,” Ross said. “Our golf and cross country teams have done better, and we want to continue seeing those sports go up and also get football and basketball back (at a high level). I feel like in the next couple of years we will be ready to make a statement and that’s the exciting part.”